


Pretty Dolly

by larryislouisxharry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Based on Movie, Complete, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 17:05:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17605382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larryislouisxharry/pseuds/larryislouisxharry
Summary: Louis unknowingly takes a job at a massage parlor where prostitution runs rampant - his husband Harry doesn't have a clue. Based on the movie the client list.





	1. Chapter 1

"You got any room on that couch?" Louis playfully asked his husband of ten years Harry.  
"You got a naked girl coming right at you." Harry laughed as his four-year-old daughter ran towards him, jumping into his lap.  
"Come here, you little monkey," Harry said as he tickled his daughter. Louis watched fondly.  
"Will you please get her dressed?" Louis' smile disappeared as he spoke, realising how late they were for their appointment. "Oh, shoot. I gotta get ready. We're supposed to be at the bank."  
"Why do you have to go to the bank?" Chimed their 8-year-old daughter.  
"Because we need money for stuff, like your braces," Harry added as he dressed their four-year-old.  
"But I don't want braces." Whined Charlie, the 8-year-old. "I want a video game player." She added.  
"Charlie, let me tell you something true. No matter what you choose to do or be,, life is easier if you're pretty. It does a girl no good to be good at video games." Louis crouched down as he ruffled his daughter's long locks. Just like Louis, their children, especially Charlie, were beautiful.  
"Knock, knock. Hey, everyone!" Louis' attention turned from Charlie to his mum as she walked through his unlocked front door.  
"Hi, mum."  
"Hey, grandma!" Chirped Louis and Harry's three children.  
"It's hotter than a fur coat in Marfa out there," Jay complained before looking towards her grandchildren. "Guess you're just gonna let them watch TV all day."  
"Oh, mum, please don't start," Louis whined, he was 28, he didn't need a lesson on parenting. "I'm trying to get ready."  
Louis rolled his eyes as Jay tipped out a basket of folded laundry. "Hey, mum, that laundry was folded!"  
"It will be when I get through it." Louis rolled his eyes at his mother's OCD.  
"Hi, grandma." Yelled Jenna, their four-year-old.  
"Jenna. One, two. Whoo!" Within a second, the small girl was being picked up and spun around in a fit of giggles by Jay.  
"I'm so glad to see you," Jay spoke excitedly. "Look how big you're getting."  
Harry smiled at his mother-in-law's actions; "how's it going, Jay?"  
"Well, I'm a two-pack-a-dayer trying to quit smoking, that's how it's going. You know what gum with nicotine tastes like?" Jay paused before answering her question. "Gum with nicotine."  
"How's the knee?" The brown-haired women asked Harry. The latter was a construction worker and had badly hurt his knee weeks ago. He had been out of a job for months because of the injury.  
"Oh, doesn't work and keeps me up all night."  
"Sounds like my last two husbands." Harry laughed at Jay's light hearted joke.  
"What are you gonna do if the bank turns you down?" Harry sighed, he had no idea. They were overdue on their mortgage and needed nothing more than to receive an extension... that is where they were going today – to request an extension.  
"No idea," Harry spoke sadly.  
"Well, it ain't a sin to be poor, but it's damned inconvenient." Jay tried to console; Harry nodded along.  
Both adult's attention was soon turned to Louis who walked back into the room.  
"Well, what do you think?"  
"Mum, you look pretty." Shouted Charlie.  
"You sure do," Harry added admiring his beautiful husband. "It's gonna be harder for the banker to turn you down in that outfit."  
Louis was wearing the tightest of all clothing. They had previously met the banker that managed their finances. Louis was sure he was gay; luckily.  
"That's what I'm counting on." Louis smiled cheekily.  
"Like you said, 'Use it until you lose it.;" Louis turned to his mother as he quoted something Jay had told him throughout his childhood as he sensually ran his hands down his hourglass figure.  
"Heck, I've lost it, and I'm still using it." Everyone laughed at Jay's declaration. "What smells like pumpkin pie?" She asked  
"Oh, it's me. These scientists did a test and figured out that the smell of pumpkin brings blood to a man's you-know-what faster than anything else." Louis licked his lips as he fell into his husband's embrace.  
"Where'd you hear that?" Harry asked, questioning its creditability.  
"I read it in some woman's magazine."  
"Bye, mum, thanks for watching the kids." Louis pecked his mother's cheek before turning to say goodbye to his three children.  
"Bye, mum, dad." They all smiled as their parent's left for their meeting.  
\---  
"I am so nervous." Louis shivered, Harry comfortingly rubbed his husband's arm.  
"Yeah, me too." They were very desperate for their request to be approved.  
"Let me unbutton these," Louis spoke, stopping Harry in his tracks as he unbuttoned the first three of Harry's buttons on his shirt. "Just in case he likes masculine men instead of twinks." Louis winked at his man.  
Harry sighed; "Oh, baby, how did we get ourselves into such an awful mess?"  
"A lot of people are asking those questions these days."  
\---  
"Louis Tomlinson?"  
The small boy looked at him, noticing the one person he hates walking down the sidewalk.  
"Hell's bells, I do not need Nick Grimshaw telling me how perfect his life is," Louis whispered into Harry's ear.  
"Hey, I dumped him for you," Harry whispers equally as quietly.  
Louis smiles because he would forever be grateful.  
"Don't tell him why we're here," Louis begs, Harry nods along.  
"Hey, Nick. Hi."  
"It's been forever. Don't you look pretty." Nick commented starring Louis up and down jealously as he clutched onto his own boyfriend's arm. "I do believe you were wearing that same outfit the last time I saw you." Nick smiled falsely.  
"Well, aren't you observant." Louis seethed clenched teeth.  
"Jim and I were just here on business, but tomorrow we're off to Hawaii, and then we're going to New York to do a little shopping. We all got to stimulate the economy, right?" Nick rambles, both Louis and Harry want to roll their eyes.  
"Bless your heart, always thinking of others," Louis answers sarcastically before pulling Harry away. "Bye-bye."


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr Styles." The banker nods at Harry, "Mr Styles." He continues then to shake Louis' hand. "Please have a seat."  
"Thank you." Harry breaths anxiously. "Well, we're here about, uh, this letter." Harry continues to hand the banker the letter.  
"Well, I'd say it's a bit more than a letter. This is a notice of intent to foreclose." The banker raises his eyebrows, as he skims the letter. Louis just hates the look on his face.  
"Yes, and we know we're seriously behind on our payments, but the rates suddenly jumped so high-" Louis attempts to explain the situation, however, his cut off by the bank worker.  
"As adjustable rates do."  
Louis sighs, trying again to explain; "Mr Sweeny, it's like I was trying to tell you on the telephone, my physical therapy job just got phased out and Harry here, well, he hurt his knee so bad that he had to quit his construction job and get surgery. We're just trying to pay back the medical bills. The heeling's been a whole lot slower than I'd hoped." Louis' eyes seem to fill with tears; Harry placed a comforting hand on his husband's knee.  
"I sympathise, but mortgage payments must be maintained-"  
Then, Louis decides to use his magic, leaning over the table sexually, fluttering his eyelashes as he slows his voice.  
"It's not just about the mortgage. We're strapped. Completely. Getting dinner on the table, it's hard. We need more time."  
He is giving the banker a nice view down his top, showing off his soft skin.  
"But, Mr Styles I can't really give you-"  
"You can call me Lou."  
"Lou... That's an interesting scent you're wearing."  
"You like it?" Louis flutters his lashes seductively.  
"Very much." The banker breaths.  
It is now, that Louis knows he has won.  
\---  
"At least you got a month's extension." Niall shrugged, looking on the bright side. After their visit with the bank, Louis had gone out with his friend Niall, a bubbly blonde who owned a bar with his wife.  
"It's something." Niall reiterated.  
"Is it? What's gonna make it better next month?" Louis sighed after his rhetorical question. Putting on a brave face, he smiled as a café worker came towards their table with his food, Niall had offered to pay.  
"Chocolate milkshakes and cheese fries?" The worker raised her eyebrows, both Louis and Niall nodded in recognition as the waitress placed the food on the table.  
"That will make it better for about five minutes, but I'll take it," Louis mumbled to Niall before turning his attention back to the waitress.  
"Here's my application. I know you guys aren't hiring, but if you could have the manager keep that on file?" Louis smiled optimistically, sighing in relief when the worker nodded.  
"Thanks."  
Niall's eyes widened, "you're really desperate, huh?" He watched as his friend nodded glumly.  
"We'd hire you at the bar if we could." Niall owned a bar with his wife, but they were full staffed.  
"I know you would."  
"There's nothing promising for Harry?" Niall continued to ask.  
"Not a thing. Nobody's even hiring. If there were any construction jobs, they're not gonna go for a guy with a bum knee."  
Niall nodded along in understanding. "Gosh, this must be killing him. You know Harry and his pride."  
Louis laughed, because yes, Harry liked to be the breadwinner.  
"Men are complicated," Niall whined, thanking the God's for making him straight. Louis rolled his eyes at his friend's antics.  
"No, they're not. Men are easy." Louis paused, clearing his throat before imitating Harry. "I'm thirsty; I'm hungry, I'm horny." He watched as Niall laughed, "that's men."  
"Although not necessarily in that order."  
\---  
Minutes later, Louis and Niall were still at the café talking, but now scouting through a local Newspaper.  
"I never thought I'd say anything quite as sappy as 'it was not supposed to turn out this way, but it wasn't," Louis commented as he turned a page. He hated being poor; he always imagined a life where he, the pretty boy, didn't even need to look at a price tag.  
"Hey, wait a minute. Here's something." Niall raised his eyebrows, peering over his friend's shoulder to see what he was looking at. It was an ad for a job.  
'Kind Touch Health Spa. Licensed massage therapists.'  
"I'm licensed," Louis commented as he stared at the small black and white ad. That was no lie; he did have a certificate in beautifying therapy and physiotherapy.  
"I don't know how you do that, touching stranger's bodies." Niall shuttered at the idea.  
"It's just skin. It makes them feel better." He paused. "I'll give them a call, see if I can get an interview." Louis beamed as Niall high fived him.  
"Wait. It's all the way in Doncaster. It's more than an hour's drive." Niall frowned as he broke the news to Lou.  
"Well, there's nothing here. You were smart to buy a bar; Zayn was smart to go and become a lawyer. My mum said I was too pretty for law school." Louis once again shrugged.  
"My mum said I was too skinny to get a wife."  
"Well, to mums."  
Both young adults raised their glasses. Glass clinking as they cheered.  
"To mums."  
\---  
Louis walked into the 'Kind Touch Health Spa' the following day, both nervous and excited at the prospect of a job.  
"Hi, there. Can I help you?" Asked the red-headed receptionist.  
"Hi." Louis smiled before continuing, "my name's Louis Tomlinson, and I called about the massage therapy interview?"  
"Oh, that's right." She made a face of remembrance. "Hi there. Well, I'm Jacie. And this here is my partner, Doreen."  
"Here's my resume." Louis passed the girl the papers.  
"Hi." Louis introduced himself as another girl exited the back room. She was pretty.  
Louis smiled, his adorable little smile at the three massage therapists, all dressed in white overalls, most likely the uniform.  
"Gosh, you are a pretty little thing." She commented.  
"Thank you." Louis blushed, he knew he was beautiful, knew he was pretty. He was told daily how pretty he was, still made him blush.  
Louis looked over at the girl skimming through his resume; "Um. I'm trained in shiatsu, and deep tissue, but I can pretty much do any kind of massage you all want."  
"Well, look at you." The red-head commented, staring Louis up and down.  
"I'm a real fast learner, and I'm just desperate for a job." Louis' eyes sunk, remembering how poor he and Harry were.  
"Can you start tomorrow?" The red-headed, seemingly in charge, girl asked  
"Really? That's it?"  
"Pretty much, baby." With that Louis was jumping with joy, small 5-foot frame excited as he fist pumped the air.  
"Thank you!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Who's starving?" Louis asked as he brought out a plate full of pancakes for dinner.  
"I could eat a buttered monkey," Harry commented, kissing Louis as he served him some food.  
"Yay! Breakfast for dinner" cheered Charlie.  
"Yeah, we're celebrating, mummy's new job," Louis spoke in third person kissing her son's forehead. "So now I can play football?" He asked, eyes wide and hopeful. They could never afford it in the past.  
"Football is way down on the list of things we need to be paying for." Louis broke the sad news.  
"Please?" The small boy begged. Louis hated denying his son what he wanted.  
"Bradly, it's like $100 just to register. Then there's the team photo and equipment. And what if you break your glasses?" Louis listed reasons why he couldn't play.  
"But-"  
"Conversation is over."  
Bradly sighed sadly but nodded nonetheless.  
\---  
"Hey, baby," Harry called, pressing a kiss to his husband's forehead as he walked through the door the following morning.  
"I didn't hear your motorcycle." Louis frowned tilting his head in confusion.  
"That's because I sold it."  
"What, Haz, you loved that thing."  
"Yeah, I kind of like having electricity too." Harry answers.  
"Baby, I know that wasn't easy." Louis stood on his tippy toes, pressing a kiss to Harry's lips.  
"Are we rich now?" Asked their four-year-old, both Harry and Louis laughed fondly.  
"Sadly no."  
\---  
"Hi. Here I am." Louis exclaimed as he walked into the beauty salon, it was his first day. He was swimming in nerves.  
"Oh, hey, honey. Welcome. Why don't you come on back and meet the other girls, okay? We got a bit of a lull right now, but when that Man U game is done, we are gonna be plenty busy.  
Come on." The girl winked as she led the small boy out the back, a few employees giving Louis smiles.  
"All right. Here we go. Okay, ladies, say hi to Louis."  
"Hey, honey, welcome back." One of the ladies, Doreen was it? Welcomed him.  
"Hi."  
"Okay, now, just really quick, I started this business 15 years ago. I wanted to be a novelist, and I still do, but this pays the bills a whole lot better. Doreen used to be a dancer. Well, cruise ships mostly, but some dinner theatres too. Now, she's been partners with me for ten years. Isn't, that right?" Louis' eyes widened that was a long time  
"Yeah," Doreen confirmed.  
"Tanya's been with us for-" She paused looking at the girl who filled in the gap  
"Six."  
"Six, that's right, and she is also an amazing tattoo artist. Oh, and this here is Emma, our barely-legal-looking newbie. How long you been here, sweetie?"  
"Uh, two months today."  
Louis smiled, "so nice."  
The women, Janice, who was showing him the ropes turned back to Emma. Claiming; "hey, hon, you got a client in 4, why don't you scoot on over." She nodded towards the door.  
"All right."  
Louis watched as the girl walked into the door with a number '4' on it, she was wearing a robe.  
"And you're all licensed massage therapists?" Louis quizzed in curiosity.  
"Sure, yeah, we all have licenses, and we all give massages. But. It's a teensy bit more than that." Janice smiled cheekily, winking at Louis.  
"What do you mean?" The small boy tilted his head in confusion.  
"Well, like my writing teacher always says: 'Why don't you show me, not tell me?' Come on over here, I'll show you." Janice walked over to some green curtains, against a wall. "Let me just get these open here."  
Louis gasped, behind the curtains was a window, obviously only one sided, so they could see in but those inside couldn't see out. It showed the inside of the massage room Emma had just entered. They could also here the client and Emma talking.  
'Hi, Richard.' Emma commented to the man on the massage table.  
Louis looked back at Janice not understanding, "this is one of those two-way jobs, you know, like they have in all the cop shows."  
Louis frowned, turning his attention back to Emma.  
'How are you doing?' The girl asked the client.  
'Pretty good. How are you?'  
'I'm great.'  
Louis's eyes widened when instead of massaging the client, Emma dropped her robe, sexually fluttering her eyelashes as she made her way towards the man's boxers. She continued to strip him of his clothing, sucking his cock into her mouth.  
Louis now knew what Janice meant. This was a 'two-way job', a prostitution shop disguised as a therapy lounge.  
He wanted to vomit.  
"You being a male is going to attract a new market. We can now get all the gay guys."  
"Now, for safety, we always bring the first-time clients into this room. It's above board, nobody does anything they're not comfortable with. You understand?" Janice spoke strictly towards her new employee, Louis.  
"Wow." Louis whispered, did he just agree to be a prostitute?  
"You understand?" She repeated, this time with raised eyebrows.  
"Yeah, I guess."


	4. Chapter 4

Louis was driving back home, he didn't do anything that day, in fact, he quit. He was not a prostitute. Never would be, but his mind was buzzing.  
What am I gonna do now?  
I guess that's why they didn't show me around the first day.  
Wanted to ease me into it.  
Guess I'll have to find something else, or maybe Harry will get a job, or maybe that lottery ticket I've got in my bag has three good numbers on it.  
Suddenly he pulled over, phone ringing,  
"Hey, Ni, what's up?  
"It's about Harry. You kind of need to come pick him up. He's in no condition to drive. You know how it gets in here when Man U lose." Louis sighed glumly slumping in his seat, because yes, he knew exactly how Harry got when Man U lost.  
"I'm on my way."  
\---  
Louis frowned walking into Niall's bar.  
"Where is he?"  
"He's cleaning up in the potty. We'll help him get into the truck." Niall shrugged as he pointed towards the bathroom  
"Yeah, he's gonna need it."  
Minutes later Harry was drunkenly slurring his words demanding he could walk.  
"I can walk, man; I can walk."  
Niall rolled his eyes as he helped Harry into Louis' truck. "Dude, you can't walk."  
"Harry had a rough day, Lou. And your mum took the kids, told him to come blow off some steam." Niall pats his brunette friend on the back comfortingly.  
"Yeah, well, good idea, Mum," Louis spoke sarcastically.  
"Hey, I heard you got the job. That one in Doncaster, right? That's so awesome." A smile graced Niall's features; he was happy for his friend.  
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna work out. I don't know what I'm gonna do. Sometimes I wish I could just start all over again." Louis frowned in despair.  
"Come on, this isn't you. You're Louis Tomlinson. You're the prettiest boy this town has ever seen, and you always get what you want. Besides, I've spent too many years being jealous of you to feel sorry for you now. You'll figure this out. I am so sure of it." Niall encouraged.  
"I wish I was."  
"Hey, I love you." The blonde added.  
"Love you too. You call me tomorrow?  
"Okay."  
\---  
Back on the road, things didn't lighten up for Louis.  
"Damn it, Harry, we're almost out of gas. Dang gas guzzler."  
Louis turned to stare at his drunk husband who slurred out a simple, "You look hot."  
"Well, you sure don't. What were you thinking?" Louis hissed as he softly slapped Harry's arm, keeping one hand on the steering wheel.  
"Look, I spent all day standing outside of a Lumber Lot with the other day labourers trying to pick up some odd job that would pay enough for me to sign up my son for football."  
Now that, broke Louis', heart.  
"Haz." Louis paused. "I'm sorry. I had a bad day too." He smiled softly as he pulled into a gas station.  
"Stupid gas-guzzling piece of junk." Popping outside, he began filling his tank, then swiped his credit card...  
Declined.  
His day just got worse.  
"Harry, where's your wallet?" He demanded.  
"It's, uh... It's in my pocket."  
Louis rolled his eyes at his drunk man, angrily walking around to his side of the car, and searching lazily for Harry's wallet.  
"A dollar? Damn it, Harry!" Louis yelled. "This is not what I signed up for. This is England. A boy this pretty, he's not supposed to be poor. I'm sorry, I know that sounds all braggy and unfair and awful, but you know what? It's true." Louis paused.  
"You know what? Niall was right. He was right. I am Louis Tomlinson. I am Louis Tomlinson, and I do not let life get me down. I do what I must do, and I don't get defeated." Louis stopped ranting when he noticed Harry had passed out drunk on him.  
"Harry?"  
The boy frowned, tears streaming down his cheeks. It was then that the whole world came crashing down, and he made a decision he would always regret.  
\---  
'Jacie? Hi, it's Louis. Louis Tomlinson. I'm so sorry that walked out on you guys today.' Louis frowned as the women offered him sympathetic response, welcoming him back to the job anytime.  
'I'll see you tomorrow.'  
\---  
The following day, Louis prepared for his first day of work.  
"Sorry. It's mummy's first day at work, and I can't pick you up at school, so to say I'm sorry, I put two desserts in both your lunches."  
"Wow, your new job's great." Charlie cheered.  
Louis smiled, nerves slightly calming as he took his kids to school.


	5. Chapter 5

"You know, and I pride myself on running a safe, clean business. We provide a reliable service at reasonable rates. We're like Dairy Queen, except not fattening. We are open Saturday to Thursday, noon to midnight, but this being Friday, payday, we start early and stay till the last one leaves." Jacie explained. Louis bit his lip; he was being given orientation.  
He was going to vomit. Just knowing what he was about to do.  
"It's really important that I work only when my kids are at school," Louis commented  
"Oh, that's fine. We do a huge lunch crowd. All the outfits are in a room in the back, but each of these rooms has everything you need. There are condoms and oils and such. Oh, and drinks and Viagra are in the house." The red-headed flashed a smile.  
"You give away Viagra?"  
"It pays for itself."  
"And what about the police?" Lou asked.  
"Oh, well, let's just say doughnuts ain't the only thing they're getting for free."  
Louis gulps. He is not prepared to do this. He continues to repeat. For the family. For the family. To himself.  
"Alrighty, let's get you on in the back room because everybody's here on Friday," Janice explained leading him to the back. "Alrighty. Now, for everyone's protection, none of us uses a real name. Doreen is Sugar, Emma wants to be called Salome. She won't do anything that's not mentioned in the Bible. Lucky for us, that's not all limiting. Tanya is Margarita. Unless the guys into Asian chicks, then she is Sake, and I'm Big Mama. I do mostly fetish stuff. I got me some kick-ass feet."   
Louis' eyes widen, is he ready for this?  
"So you, I think, we are gonna call you Dolly. Because you look like one."  
"Dolly... okay." Louis nods along, staring at the girls in lingerie.  
"Now, like you saw yesterday, we screen everybody upfront, but if you got any problems at all, you holler. All right? You know how to use a gun, baby?"  
For the family. For the family.  
"No." The small boy whimpers out his response.  
"Tanya will teach you one day. Tanya used to be a bounty hunter. It's crazy. Anyway, you got any questions?"  
Louis pauses for some time before answering.  
"No, I just feel like I might be sick."  
Just like that, he is being patted on the back "First time's the hardest." Janice tries to comfort him.  
It does anything but that.  
"Emma, honey, you're Room 1, and, Lou you're in Room 4. There's some pretty little outfits back there for you, okay?"  
For the family. For the family.  
But, in the back of his mind, he can only think; 'what would Harry say?'  
\---  
"Oh, that feels splendid, honey." Louis cringed at the man on the 'massage' table calling him honey... all Louis was doing was rubbing his back with oil.  
"Mm-mm-mm. Well, thank you. So, where you from?" Louis was nervous; he talked when he was nervous.  
"Am I supposed to answer that?" The man asked, looking up at Louis.  
"No. Um, sorry, I'm just kind of nervous. It's my first time. Not massaging, but, you know..." Louis trailed off in a blush.  
"Really? Yeah, me too." Louis smiled, that made him feel a bit better... slightly.  
"Oh. Well, now, look at us, two peas in a pod. So are you married?" Louis asked, moving to wash the oil off his hands.  
"Yeah. That's why I'm here."  
Louis internally cringed, that was very disrespectful of the man to say.  
I can do this. It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be fine. For the family.  
So Louis bit his lip, sensually dropping his robe revealing the lace panties he was dressed in... Here goes nothing.  
\---  
Louis was driving home, eyes becoming cloudy as he criticised himself for his actions. How could he have accepted this job? Louis gagged remembering the feeling of the fat man's cock in his mouth.  
"Oh, my God, I'm gonna have to pull over." The boy breathily whispered to himself as he pulled his truck over onto a patch of grass. Quickly jumping out of the car, Louis vomited. He vomited up his lunch... he felt;  
Disgusting.  
\---  
"Hey, Lou, what's up?" Niall questioned as his friend pranced into his bar.  
"I need some best friend talk, right now." Niall's eyes widened, Louis sounded so.... scared.  
\---  
Minutes later Louis and Niall were sitting in the corner of the club; the former having explained everything to his best friend. Niall had a look of shock plastered on his face.  
"Well, stop looking so shocked." Louis snapped, he felt embarrassed.  
"I'm sorry, Louis, but this is my shocked face. If you want me to look different, you might need to say something less shocking."  
"I was just hoping for a little sympathy. Sorry. I just needed somebody to talk to." Louis sighed, throat itching in guilt. "And, God, please don't tell your wife," Louis begged.  
"Of course, I won't tell Laura. What husband tells his wife that someone like you is available?" Niall tried to joke, Louis smiled, he appreciated Niall's light hearted humour. "Oh, God, Lou, this is just- I don't know." Niall shook his head; he had no words.  
Louis frowned as he pulled out an envelope from his bag, one full of hundred dollars bills  
"Wow." Niall's eyes widened.  
"That's what I made today," Louis admitted.  
"Holy sugar." Niall gasped, as he passed the envelope back to his friend.  
"I'm not proud of it." Louis sighed, shrugging nonetheless.  
"You know, when you work in a bar, you kind of stop judging people." The blonde admitted.  
"Just please be careful, and the sooner you stop, the better," Niall begged his best friend, wanting him to stay safe.  
"I will. Thank you."  
Niall smiled, of course, he couldn't help but ask; "so, what's it like?"  
"Well, to be honest, the thing they want most is for you to lie to them. They want to know their guts are small and their cocks are big, even if the truth is staring you right in the face."  
Niall's eyes widened as he laughed, "Oh, my Lord."  
"Oh, God, please tell me I'm not crazy." Louis pleaded, tears coming to his eyes.  
"It sounds like men aren't the only ones who want to be lied to." Niall exposed.  
"You got that right."


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey, everybody, I'm home," Louis yelled as he walked through the front door.  
"Hey, babe." Harry smiled fondly at his small boyfriend. Completely oblivious to what he had been doing all day.  
"Hey." Louis stood on his tippy-toes to kiss Harry.  
"I made spaghetti." The curly haired man spoke proudly.  
"I can see that. Sorry, I'm running a little bit late, but I went shopping."  
"What did you get?" Asked Bradly.  
"Let me see." Louis spoke teasingly.   
"For little miss Charlie." Louis proudly handed his daughter a gift.  
"Suzy Style Doll? Thank you." Charlie asked, before cheering.  
"And for you." Louis turned towards Bradly, passing him a football.  
"Does this mean I can play football?" The boy's eyes widened hopefully.  
"Yes, it does."  
"Yes!" The boy yelled, fist pumping the air.  
Louis then passed out the final present from his shopping bag. A pretty little teddy for their four-year-old.  
"Thank you, mummy."  
Harry stared at the expensive gifts, "can we afford this?" He whispered to his husband.  
"We can now."  
\---  
Louis had been working as a 'therapist' a couple of weeks now; he had quickly worked his way into receiving regular customers and them giving him gifts.  
"It's beautiful. Thanks, you're my favourite customer." He would say as he received a diamond necklace.  
"I am?"  
Louis would always nod... customers completely oblivious that he had about six favourite customers.  
\---  
"He just gave it to me right out of the blue." Louis showed Niall the diamond necklace a client had given him before continuing,   
"I know you're not supposed to say it, but I just love having money.  
"Loving it maybe just a little too much?" Niall frowned, he was worried for his friend.  
"Ni, come on. You know I've always dreamt of not having to look at price tags." Louis explained.  
"And Harry doesn't suspect anything? I mean, the watch, the necklace?" Niall pointed out the expensive gifts Louis had been given, "What do you tell him?"  
"That they're all fake." Louis shrugged as if it was nothing.  
"Come on." Niall had an 'are you kidding me' look to his face.  
"Men don't know real jewellery from fake jewellery."  
"Well, that's the truth." Niall laughed.  
"Know what's weird? Nobody even wants an explanation. It's like I'm Santa Claus. Just as long as I keep giving them presents, they can see me soaring through the sky with flying reindeer."  
Louis shook his head solemnly... he just wanted the best life for his family.  
\---  
"You awake?" Harry whispered as he lay on the side of his queen size bed with Louis on the other. It was 1 am  
"Yeah. I can't sleep." Louis turned to look at his curly-haired man.  
"Me too."  
Louis frowned, he could tell Harry wasn't himself; "what's wrong?"  
"It's just-Look, I'm happy you're working, and I'm trying to keep some perspective on this, but it's killing me that you're the breadwinner and I'm not," Harry admitted.  
"Baby..."  
"No, I always said that I'd protect you, that I would take care of you." Harry rubbed at his red eyes.  
"You want a massage?" Louis offered.  
"No. You've been doing that all day."  
"Not to anyone who looks like you."  
Harry smiled, nodding. "Yeah. Massage me, babe."  
Harry moaned as his husband ran his soft hands up and down his bare back.  
"Hey. I'm sorry about what happened at the bar the other night. I mean it." Harry smiled pulling Louis in for a hug.  
"I love you."  
"I love you too, baby."  
\---  
"Merry Christmas." Harry cheered as Louis walked towards him   
"Merry Christmas." The small boy smiled.  
"Hurry up, hurry up. Santa's been here. Hurry up, you guys." Harry cheered as all three of their children ran downstairs.  
"Wow. Santa brought all this? This is way more than last Christmas." Charlie's smile lit up the room. There were presents galore under the tree.  
"Slow down there, kids. Remember, Christmas is more than just about presents." Louis nodded, reminding them.  
"Yeah, right. Happy Birthday, Jesus." Bradly smiled, before opening the presents with his name on it.  
"Well, that must have been some Christmas bonus you got." Harry's eyes widened as he turned to face his husband.  
"Not bad."  
"But don't you think you're working a little too hard? I'm starting to see lines on that pretty face. Pretty Doll. Don't frown; it makes it worse. I'm just saying you look tired, is all." Harry sulked as he hugged his husband.  
"Well, don't all parents look tired on Christmas morning?" Louis countered. "Your present's outside," Louis explained to his husband. Excited for Harry to see the present.  
So Louis led Harry outside, and towards the garage, Harry closed his eyes as he let Louis guide him.  
"Open your eyes." Louis paused, "surprise!"  
Harry's eyes widened as he took in the sight in front of him. A brand new, very expensive looking motorcycle.  
"No, you didn't...."  
"I did," Louis spoke with pride.  
"Oh, Louis, I don't even know what to say. I mean, thank you. I got something for you, but, wow, next to this... Oh, what the heck." Harry rambled before passing Louis a small box.  
Louis smiled opening the small box. Inside was a name tag.  
'Harry Styles Trainee.'  
"It's an exterminating company, and the money's not great, but it is something..." Harry spoke.  
Even though it wasn't a material gift, it meant more than anything to Louis.  
"I love you Haz."


	7. Chapter 7

Back at work.  
"Who knew this business had a holiday rush?" Louis exclaimed as he slid his heels onto knee high clad feet.  
"A lot of lonely people this time of year," Janice exclaimed before walking into one of the rooms.  
Louis watched as Emma opened the green window looking into the massage room. There was a first timer inside... one that Emma was supposed to serve.  
"No, it can't be."  
"It can't be what? What can't it be? What is it?" Louis edged as he looked at what the short girl was looking at. Inside the room was a fat bald man.  
"It's the preacher from my church. He's wearing the brown sweater the choir gave him for secret Santa. I picked out that sweater. I think I'm gonna be sick."  
Louis frowned as the brunette girl ran outside of the shop, Louis grabbed a robe and followed.  
"Are you okay?" He questioned.  
"I don't know."  
"Well, go on, then, get out of here." The small boy offered, pointing to the road.  
"But where? I can't go home; nobody wants me." The eighteen-year-old cried.  
"Baby, you can always go home. As a parent, I always tell my kids-" Louis began, however, was cut off mid-sentence.  
"Will you pray with me?"  
The small boy frowned as he tilted his head, he pat the girl on the back.  
"I gotta get back inside, but you know what? That Christian Fellowship Lodge, it's right over there. Say one for me, would you?"  
\---  
Emma did that; she watched as Louis walked back inside... going to serve his own customer. So, she made her way over the street and towards the Christian Fellowship Lodge. It was then that she made a decision. Walking up to the Christian men outside of the door handing out pamphlets she spoke.  
"Excuse me?" She paused once she gained their attention. "So sorry to interrupt, but I think God wants me to tell you what's going on at that health spa across the road."  
And so she did.  
\---  
"I swear, I'm doing everything I can to keep it together, but it's too much." Louis ranted to Niall... the friend who had quickly become his refuge.  
"So quit." Niall shrugged as if it was evident.  
"I can't. Money's too good. The house needs a new roof. Haz is thinking about buying into that company he's been working for... No, you are right. I'll quit. I will. I've got to. I'm just so tired of being tired all the time."  
"I support that Idea, Lou."  
\---  
"Lou, wake up, baby. Lou. Lou" Harry ushered, shaking his husband's sleeping body.  
"Hm?" Louis paused, groggily opening his eyes. "I guess I never heard the alarm."  
"I heard it way out in the garage. Honey, this is nuts. Last few weeks, you've been wearing yourself out. You gotta cut back on the hours." Harry begged. He missed happy, fun Louis.  
"Yeahhhh... I will."  
\---  
"Hey, have you seen Emma lately? I haven't seen her since Christmas." Janice questioned, looking around at the girls all ready for their first customer of the day.  
"No, and I miss that little buttercup because it's so crazy around here," Doreen exclaimed  
"I'll tell you what's crazy, me sitting here bored and horny while Lou's got three rooms going. " The redhead rolled her eyes.  
"Oh, well, don't go comparing yourself to others, Janice. We all got our own strengths. Though I gotta say, Lou's been busy as popcorn... even the straight guys are asking for him."  
"Yeah. Guys are flying in from Germany on private jets. Guys are buying him jewellery. And three, three proposals. That's gotta be like some kind of record." Janice laughed.  
"Well, I'm sorry, but I gotta know. What can he be doing that we're not? I mean, there's only so many places to put things and so many things to put in them." Doreen rolled her eyes, walking over to the green curtain as she opened it. Both her and Janice watched as Louis interacted with the customer.  
'Pecan Sandies with crushed hazelnuts? I can't believe you remembered.' The man on the massage chair looked proud, passing Louis a container of Louis' favourite food.  
Janice and Doreen watched as the two interacted. They personally never bothered to get to know their clients... Louis however, it looked like he did.  
'Of course, I did. Your Aunt Julie used to make them for you when you went to Cheshire... you told me that.'  
That is how Louis got more customers because he bothered to get to know the men he served.  
\---  
Tomorrow   
"Dolly, you could have been killed." Louis rolled his eyes as he gave his client one last kiss.  
He had told the man how he nearly fell asleep at the wheel yesterday when he was driving home.  
"Yeah, well, I'm just having a hard time staying awake recently." Louis shrugged.  
"I can't have my favourite boy falling asleep at the wheel." Louis watched as the client, named John, passed him a small bag with white crystals in it.  
"Is that what I think it is?" Louis' eyes widened  
"It'll keep you going. Works for me."  
"Well, no offence, but I've never even tried weed, and I don't want to do anything wrong or highly illegal... More than I'm doing right now." Louis passed the bag back to the man.  
However, he was persistent; he smirked as he placed it in the small boy's pocket.  
"Well, it's there if you need it. See you next week, Dolly."  
Louis sighed as the man left, whispering out a weak, "looking forward to it."  
\---  
"Wake up, Mum. Mum. Wake up. Mum." Charlie begged, Louis was asleep, it was 8 pm.  
"Uh..." Louis groaned as he woke up.  
"Hey, Mummy's gonna turn in early. Just brush your teeth and say your prayers, okay?" The small boy pat his daughter's back as he asked her to go to sleep.  
"But you can't sleep. Tomorrow's the bake sale, remember?" Charlie's eyes widened expectantly.  
"What?" Louis had no recollection of a bake sale.  
"We're raising money for the fur.  
"For the fur?" Louis sat up as he listened to his daughter.  
"Yeah, it's a country that's in trouble. Oh, you mean Darfur."  
"I guess. The bake sale's a castle theme. I came up with the idea. Mum! Are you listening?" Charlie raised her small voice.  
"Yeah. I'm up. I'm up."  
With that Louis was halling himself out of bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Just like that Louis had a cookbook out, in the kitchen hazily staring at the instructions. He couldn't concentrate. He was falling asleep. His vision was blurred. He stared at his bag, the bag where the small bag of cocaine was hiding... no, he couldn't do that.  
Okay, I can do this. I'm a good mother. This is what good parents do. All right. Louis attempted to convice himself.  
'With the grey fondant make castle turrets. With the green fondant, place pieces into the mountain and with a piping-.'  
Wake up, Louis.  
Oh, I'm tired. Okay. What does that say?  
Louis' vision began to blur.  
So, he made another decision he would regret, he snorted the cocaine.  
It certainly kept him awake.  
\---  
"Well, what do you guys think?" Louis spoke, proud of his work, He had been up all night creating the castle cake... with the help of the drugs.  
"Wow, mum, it's perfect." Charlie cheered as she and the two other children admired the cake.  
"Wow. You must have been up all night." Harry's eyes widened as he walked into the room. Kissing his husband's forehead.  
"I was, but it's done." Louis then turned to Charlie explaining to her more about the cake. "And you can move the chocolate drawbridge, and the moat is fudge."  
"Okay, get ready for school." Harry ushered.  
Louis watched as his and Harry's children ran off to prepare for school.  
"Hey." Harry turned Louis to face him, "you're a great mum."  
\---  
"Lou, honey, your next client's here. He's got a flight to catch.  
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," Louis replied as he quickly applied a light dash of makeup.  
"Hey, Dolly." Louis darted into the room; his next client was the same client that gave him the drugs.  
"Hey, you gotta help me. I'm out, and I'm desperate." Louis begged, slightly holding onto John's arm.  
The client's eyes opened, "it's gonna take me a few days. My guy's out of town."  
Louis frowned, he needed his fix. "Okay, well, can't you just call him? Or someone else, please?" Louis paused, as he guiltily dropped his gown, revealing his completely naked body, "I'll make it worth your while."  
"Well, Dolly, now we're talking."  
\---  
"But, Mum, I don't want to."  
Louis had taken his son Bradly to the doctor; they wanted to do a general check-up, they asked the boy to pee in a cup.  
"Well, you're gonna have to. That's how doctors look for stuff."  
"Like what?" The child quizzed.  
"I don't know, the kind of stuff they find in your pee," Louis whined, his eyes were red raw. He was craving his fix.  
"But I don't have to go," Bradly whined, he didn't need to pee.  
"You're gonna have to try," Louis begged, he was getting mad... apparently, craving drugs did that.  
"I can't."  
"Yes, you can."  
"I can't."  
"I'll turn on the water."  
"That doesn't help. I can't."  
Something inside Louis cracked, he bent down shaking his son back and forward as he began to scream.  
"Stop saying it! Do you hear me? Stop it. Stop saying it! Stop saying it! Stop saying it!"  
Bradly had tears streaming down his soft cheek.  
"Okay, Mum, I'll do it! I'll try!" Louis' eyes widened when he realised what he had done. He reached forward to touch his son only for him to back away from him.  
"Oh, my God, I'm sorry Bradly. Mummy is so sorry. I'm so sorry. Mama's just having a bad day, okay? Go on out to the waiting room. I'm gonna be right there. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."   
Lou broke down crying.  
He fell against the wall of the bathroom as he sobbed.  
Life was not right. This isn't what he had planned.


	9. Chapter 9

"Hey, pretty baby." Harry spooned Louis; the latter knew what Harry wanted when he did this. That meant he was in the mood for sex.  
"Not tonight Harry." Louis paused, he could hear Harry sigh. "I just can't."  
Lou didn't realise it then. But he was slowly becoming a different person.  
\---  
"You okay, Dolly?" Asked one of his regular clients. "The last few weeks, you seem kind of different." He expanded.  
"Yeah, sure, baby, I'm fine." Louis couldn't scratch out a smile even if he faked it. "You want anything special today or just the usual?"  
"No, the usual's just fine, Dolly." The client paused to undress. "Hey, remember I was telling you that my in-laws are in town?"  
"Yeah, Aline and Tim from Chattanooga," Louis spoke without interest.  
"Yeah. Well, anyway, they get here and-" The man began to chat excitedly, only to be interrupted by Louis.  
"You mind if we just get this going? A little less talking?" The client frowned, that was so unlike Louis. Looking at the small boy, in fact, he looked a lot thinner.  
"I guess so."  
Louis sighed, dropping his robe, however, rolled his eyes when he heard a knock on the door.  
"I got a session in here," Louis yelled but gasped when the door slammed opened. He expected a rowdy customer, maybe even one of the girls... he never expected the police.  
"Session's over. Cuff them. Well, him, anyway." Louis' mouth fell open as the officer pointed towards him, with a second his life was in slow motion, he was being cuffed.  
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Louis' mouth wobbled, he bit his lip.... He had this coming.  
Louis was escorted to the back of the shop; he noticed all the other girls were cuffed and sat down on a black couch. The officer holding him pushed him down next to Janice.  
"What the heck is going on here? You all have been fine with us for years." Janice whisper-yelled at one copper.  
"Yeah, one of you's been real fine with us," Doreen added, looking towards a black police officer.  
"Listen, Jacie; we don't like this any better than you do." Louis could hardly tell who was speaking, his mind spinning at 100 miles an hour.  
"Oh, is that right?" Jacie spoke sarcastically. The police had always protected their 'business' if they got free sessions. "You call your serjeant right now, and you tell him to put a stop to this."  
"Yeah, and tell him Doreen says hi," Doreen spoke sarcastically, evidently having given the man her services before.  
"This is coming from way above him. The media got here before we did. We have orders to search the premises." The officer informed.  
"Search away, ain't gonna find nothing." Janice slurred in anger.  
"We got this." Suddenly a female police officer, who was searching through their bags holds up a small tin of cocaine... Louis' cocaine.  
He just looks down guiltily as they escort them out of the premises, into the media's shining light.


	10. Chapter 10

'As you can see, going on behind me right now is a major bust of an alleged prostitution and drug ring. Apparently, there has been months-long surveillance probe conducted by Mayor Summerlin. All part of her campaign promise to bring law and order to Kareena. Summerlin is in a very tight re-election race and no doubt she hopes an event like this will help to put her over the edge. Now we can see the police are starting to bring out some of the alleged johns.'  
Harry stares up at the television. He is currently talking to Niall's wife Laura at their bar, sipping away at his beer.  
"The poor bastards." He laughs.  
Harry watches as Laura looks up at the screen. They are now bringing out some of the prostitutes. "What, do they charge by the pound? You don't have to shake the sheets to find her." Laura laughs at how 'fat' the girl is.'  
The name of the establishment is the Kind Touch Health Spa, but locals here say they've long known that...' Niall's eyes widen as he walks out from the back of the bar, listening to the television to see what the fuss is.  
"Oh, my gosh. Laura, turn that off now." Niall begs his oblivious wife.  
A man behind Harry whistles as a brunette boy is escorted from the premises in nothing but lingerie and heels, hands cuffed behind his back.  
"Okay, now we're talking." One customer yells... the customers laugh along... everyone except Harry. Because it just cannot be.  
"Hey, Harry, he looks kind of like your husband, doesn't he?" Laura say, staring at the screen.  
"Shut up."  
\---  
Louis sits quietly in Niall's car, outside his house. Head hung from guilt. Eyes red from crying. Body thin from the weeks he had been working in the 'massage shop'.  
"I knew it would end like this." Niall rolls his eyes as he shakes his head.  
"Ni, please," Louis begs, he doesn't need Niall to scold him, he is going to have to endure that from Harry.  
"No, you bail someone out of jail, you get to talk." Niall snaps. "At first, you did it to save your family, I get that, but then it was for you. You through your whole life away for what's on your wrist and around your neck."  
Louis sighs as a single tear drips from his eye. "Oh, what did I do?" I should have quit months ago, Louis thinks.  
"What am I supposed to say to him?" Louis stares at his blonde friend. Niall doesn't answer, so Louis continues. "How am I gonna fix this?"  
"I don't know Lou. Maybe some things can't be fixed."  
\---  
Louis walks inside slow steps. He is afraid to confront Harry... worried about what he will say. But more afraid, to be told the truth. To be told he is a slut, to be told Harry deserves more.  
"Harry, I'm so sorry." Those are the first words Louis says to his husband of ten years. Harry is home. Alone. Kids probably at their grandparents.  
He is sitting in a single chair, face full of pity, confusion, anger... yet at the same time, all those emotions make him unreadable.  
"I know that I've really messed things up baby, and I'll do just about anything to make it right."  
Louis is crouching down, next to Harry's feet as he stares at the curly haired man, yet Harry... Harry never even glances at him.  
That hurts Louis the most.  
"Please just look at me. Talk to me. Yell at me, swear at me, hit me, I don't care." Louis begs, tears flowing down his cheeks, eyes red and puffy.  
When Harry finally speaks, his words break Louis in half.  
"All night, I've been thinking about something. That summer after graduation? You and me going- Going to the vet to put Barney down." Harry pauses, his body is shaking.  
"I loved that dog." Louis whispers.  
"And we get there, and we're sitting in the parking lot holding that old dog between us, petting him, him loving the attention... and both of us knowing it's his last day of life. And then you sang to him. That Beatles song. 'In My Life.' And then I- I couldn't do it. I couldn't go in. And you took him...and you carried him in..." Harry pauses as he holds his tears in. Face scrunching into an expression of anger, hate sadness.  
"And you held him...till he died Louis. You did that for me. And anytime things got tough with us, I'd think of that day, and I'd think of that boy." Harry paused, finally looking Louis in the face.   
That is what broke Louis', heart.  
"And now when I think of you, it's gonna be this."  
\---


	11. Chapter 11

"Mum?" Louis, who was sitting glumly in front of the television, same chair Harry had been sitting on hours ago, turned to face his eldest daughter.  
"Hey, what are you doing up?" Louis' voice cracked at that.  
"I heard the TV." Louis watches as Charlie walks up to him.  
"Well, I'm sorry I woke you." Louis pauses, motioning for Charlie to sit with him. "Come here."  
"You look sad. Do you want me to sing to you like you do when I'm sad?" Louis pauses, holding in his tears."  
"I think if you did that, I just might fall apart. You're sweet, though." Louis admits, holding his daughter close.  
"Then should I go back to bed?" To be honest, she should. She has school tomorrow, she had been at grandmas all day... but Louis just wants someone to hold him.  
"In a minute."  
\---  
"Do you think they're gonna let me wear makeup in jail?" Louis asked his lawyer, and close friend, Zayn Malik.  
The man sighed, trying to make a joke; "I'll try to smuggle you some."  
"Thank you for helping me," Louis admits, slouching in his chair.  
"I'm your friend."  
"I haven't been a very good friend lately," Louis admits.  
"What's your mum say about all this?" Zayn questions.  
" She says, and I quote; It's the reason you have more than one kid. So you can ditch the screw-ups." Louis smiles slightly at that.  
"That sounds like your mum." Zayn returns the smile before continuing, "All right, let's get down to business. It seems this whole thing was orchestrated by the mayor's re-election team. They're trying to position her as the champion of traditional values." Zayn speaks slowly so Louis will understand.  
"How did she even find out about us?"  
"Know someone by the name of Emma Hollings?" Zayn raises his eyebrows.  
"Oh, my God." Louis' mouth falls open into an 'O' shape.  
"She went to some religious group. Christian Fellowship Lodge. That's it. She found a lot of old people with time on their hands and cell phones. They bombarded the police with calls; they got nowhere. Took it to city hall, where the mayor decided it was divine intervention."  
Louis feels awful.  
"I sent her there. This is all my fault."  
Zayn bites his lip.  
"They're looking to charge you with felony promotion of prostitution and possession of cocaine. You're looking at two years."  
He hates to be the one to tell Louis the bad news.  
"Oh, my God." The idea of not seeing his kids in two years... it tears him apart.  
"Are you still using?"  
"No. Never again. I feel like dog crap." Louis admits.  
"Well, you're gonna feel agitated, depressed. I mean, the works for a few months, and then, honestly, periodic cravings for the ten next years."  
"Guess the first two years will be while I'm in jail."  
Zayn pats Louis' back sadly. "I hope not Lou I will do everything I can as your defence lawyer."  
\---  
"Mum, are you gonna die?" Asks Louis' four year old.  
The lead up to Louis' trial date has been hard. Harry never looking at him. Not speaking to him. The kids not understanding why mummy was on television. Now, Louis was saying goodbye; the kids were going to live with their relatives in London until Louis' court case was over.  
"No. No, I'm gonna be fine." Louis kissed all of the kids hugging them as If it were the last time he would see them for years.... Hell, it might be.  
"Let's go now. You three head for the truck. Help your sister into her car seat." Harry ushered the children out the front door.  
"But, I want Mummy to come," Charlie whined.  
"Go on, baby. I'm right behind you. Meet you at the car. I'm gonna come out and say goodbye." Louis reassured.  
"It's better for the kids to get away from all this talk," Harry spoke without emotion,  
"Yeah, you're right." Harry paused, the silence was awkward...   
"Maybe when you come back, maybe we could-" Louis started, however, was soon interrupted by Harry.  
"Don't." He had clenched teeth and a seething look to him.  
"Well, maybe-Maybe when all this is over, we could just think about moving and starting over?" Louis suggested hopefully, a tear running down his eye.  
"Haz, please look at me."  
"I can't look at you, Louis, which is real tough, because looking at you used to be just about one of my favourite things to do."  
\---  
"Thanks for staying with me, Mum." Louis hugs Jay as they sit close together. He really needed someone. For a mother of three, it felt unnatural for the house to be so quite.  
"This is no time to be alone." Jay understands.  
"I keep thinking I've hit bottom, then every day it just gets lower," Louis admits as he places his head on his mother's shoulder.  
"I have been up all night, thinking I just- Well, just realising that I must have raised you all wrong," Jay says, shaking her head.  
"See? New low." Louis laughs softly, but there is no humour in his voice.  
"I mean, I forgive you because you're my child, but how could you do what you did with those men?" Jay cries softly. Louis was worth more than that.  
"For my family."  
"Well, it makes my skin crawl. Thank God your father's dead." Louis clenches his teeth; he doesn't want to think of that right now.  
"Oh, can you not completely destroy me until I've had some coffee?"  
"I think your problem is I gave you too much self-esteem," Jay admits.  
Louis frowns not understanding. "What the hell?"  
"It's true. You were just so pretty and bright; I was sure you'd go to Hollywood and marry somebody famous. I wasted my life on your father. I wanted better for you...." There is a silent pause, both just thinking.  
"Is it just disgusting? I'm picturing disgusting." Jay asks she might as well ask what it is like being a hooker.  
"Yeah. Yeah, sometimes it's real disgusting."  
"Oh, honey." Jay pats Louis' soft skin.  
"But it's kind of like an actor playing a part. All the attention I got back, that was something. All those men, some rich, some powerful, all treating me like I was the best thing in their lives.  
I guess there's just a little part of me that needed that more than I should."  
There is another pause.  
"Anyway, now I just wish I could crawl up in a ball and make it all go away."  
"We will just see how the court hearing goes tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 12

Two years later  
Everything is different. The world is bright. He can hear birds. He can see the sun. People walk around as they want.  
The opposite of prison.  
The place he has been for the past 712 days.  
No visitors were allowed in prison. No friends. None of his kids. He was a slave to what he was told to do by the guards. He was given set times to eat. Locked in a cell with nothing to do but wallow in self-pity.  
He took a risk when he became a prostitute.  
At first, it was for his family...   
He had the chance to quit, but he didn't take it.  
He glowed in the praise and attention his clients gave him. He glowed when he received his Friday paycheck.   
But now, he is empty.  
Left with nothing but a shattered heart and prison scars.  
Walking out of prison alone. Lost contact with his friends. Kids moved state. And Harry... well Harry was long gone. Harry can't look at him.  
Louis thinks he deserves it.  
For what he did.  
He hurt his husband.  
He hurt their kids.  
Harry still thinks of Louis. The one he married and had planned to die married too. But, he doesn't think of Louis as the boy who held their dying dog. He thinks of Louis as disgusting, the one who broke their family.  
And he is, Louis thinks he is.  
Louis still wants to curl into a ball and never wake up.  
Louis wants his mum to hold him, but she is on holiday.  
But most importantly, he loves Harry...  
He wants Harry.  
And he always would.  
Life doesn't always give you what you want. Sometimes, you are left feeling empty and lifeless. A small mistake of yours can cost you your livelihood.  
But Louis' mistake, was much more than small.   
It was the reason he couldn't find employment.  
It was the reason people looked away on the streets.  
It was the reason he lost his husband.  
Divorced.  
Gone.  
Left.  
Harry was the kindest person in the world. He wanted the best for his husband and their children.... but so did Louis. He just went around getting it the wrong way.  
That would forever, haunt him.  
A mistake.  
That cost him everything.  
He doesn't feel like he is in a bright world. He doesn't hear the happiness when birds sing. The sun just seems to cast a shadow.  
He, the prettiest boy his town had ever seen, is left feeling more broken than before.

 

Not all endings are happy.


End file.
